The Supreme Court earlier this week ordered the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to produce in court, agreements it had with private companies that collect the city’s garbage. Three companies – Abans Environmental Services, Burns Environmental & Technologies Ltd and Care Kleen – have been assigned to collect garbage in the city of Colombo.

This court ruling came on a fundamental rights petition filed by the Lawyers for Human Rights and Development (LHRD) complaining that these agreements are beneficial only to a handful of individuals and are unknown even to the CMC members.

The petition cited the CMC, its Mayor, the Western Province Chief Minister, the Minister of Environment, the Central Environmental Authority and the Inspector General of the Police as respondents among others on the failure of the relevant authorities to remove garbage on time and the problems that arise as a result of it. Among the problems cited are the loss of aesthetic value of the environment, the endangering of public health, the emanation of odours and the release of noxious substances such as gases and discharges from solid waste dumps. According to the petition while various guidelines and policies have been drawn up by the different respondents on the garbage problem, no one has so far taken any steps to implement these guidelines.

The next hearing of the case will be on October 13. Three companies – Abans Environmental Services, Burns Environmental & Technologies Ltd and Care Kleen – have been assigned to collect garbage in the city of Colombo. (LP)